Lessons through Gingerbread
by Pixie Altaira
Summary: Sometimes everyone seems to forget Spencer Reid is more than meets the eye.


Later, Hotch found it funny that Jack knew and Henry knew but the rest of them…the adults… forgot.

There was a charity auction. On Saturday. A festival of trees and Gingerbread creations whose proceeds were to be split between three major hospitals, three youth afterschool programs and Toys for Tots. Each department was in charge of ten gingerbread creations and three trees. Strauss had known about it for months, forgot about it until the director asked how her assigned items were going, and freaked out when she realized almost everyone was gone! Because they were home still on Wednesday, Hotch's team was given the two days off and assigned three Gingerbread Houses and two trees, with the other team still around assigned three gingerbread houses, those who stayed but were attached to the BAU assigned three gingerbread houses and Strauss herself committed to bring one. The teams that were out had their significant others putting together the last tree.

Rossi suggested separating into teams, designing their creation and then meeting at his house for a creative contest. Rossi offered to head one of the teams to do the houses, Morgan claimed another. Just before Hotch was about to assign the third to JJ, she insisted on being able to do a tree…she and Will already had stuff to do a tree from the year before. She got on the phone to Will to make sure they still had everything, and meanwhile the team get-together soon opened to families as well. To Hotch's astonishment, Spencer offered to do the third gingerbread house. They all agreed to bring a set of red or a set of white ornaments and do the final tree when they were done, unless a team finished way early and then they could do the final tree. Spencer smiled and said that he'll get the rest of the items for the tree together and if his team finished first, then the team could use them… if not his team would use them for their own item to donate.

Hotch wasn't surprised when Garcia joined Morgan's team right off, but is a bit surprised when Alex Blake joined Morgan's team, too. He had already agreed to join Rossi before JJ offered her services to the tree. He briefly worried about the fact that Spencer didn't have anyone to join his team when JJ announced that Henry wanted to help Unca Spence. Spencer's smile lit up the room. Hotch was also informed that Jack had to come as well, Henry insisted. The decorating ended up set for Friday night and Jess invited herself as well. She, however, would be working on her own wreath and tree set, courtesy of her current part time job.

Rossi offered up baking time to those who needed it. Morgan took him up on some time Friday morning, but Spencer informed Rossi he would bring his own materials. Rossi laughed. Hotch, seeing the odd little smile on Spencer's face when Rossi laughed, should have known then and not gotten caught up in the betting that came later. But, ten bucks from everyone (well all the adults-even Will, but not Jess, she was sane and declined) went into a pot to be split amongst the team that finished first and had a gingerbread house that was nice and stayed together, and fifty bucks an adult went into a pot to go to the team who put together the item that made the most money at the silent auction. Beyond that though, Morgan bet Rossi that Reid's would make the lowest amount (because what does the kid know about building anything, let alone houses) and his team would bring in the highest bid (because he knew all about houses, what with his house flipping and all). Rossi disagreed, after all he'd learned the art of Gingerbread construction at the feet of his Grandmother and when was last time Morgan had put together a gingerbread house? Rossi, oddly enough, did so every year. JJ insisted that since they had a tree….they would bring in the most on bids. They decided that everyone would give a gift to each member of the winning team (or an extra gift if the team members happened to be someone's secret Santa buddy already) and five dollars apiece would go to the ones who guessed the winning team. The rest of the ranking payout was to be paid in coffee and treats throughout the month of December and was convoluted at best.

Spencer, in all the placing options, always was ranked last. Spencer refused to place a bet on rank, but he put his money in the pot for first finished and most money, and said he'd be willing to do the big payouts for the rankings, even if he didn't place a bet and to just sign him up to bring coffee on the fourteenth and treats on the twentieth. Then he made everyone agree that although each and every one had to bid while at the charity auction, none of them were allowed to bid on teammate's creations and certainly not on their own creations. And, if a team won who had no-one who voted for them winning (i.e. Spencer's team), then the max money which could have been paid out per individual would go to that team to do with as they please. The time to meet at Rossi's was set for four on Friday afternoon.

Hotch got a call at seven the next morning, asking how much of the house could be done early. He told Spencer nothing could be attached, or completely premade, but things could be made to be assembled easily and molded items could be molded. He called to tell Morgan and Rossi that as well. Jack was ecstatic and told his dad he'll decide a team when they got to Rossi's house. Hotch and Jack spent all day Thursday baking Gingerbread men, using Rossi's cookie cutters so they are all the right size, and shopping for the candy to add on. Hotch and Jack picked out a pack of twelve red balls and a pack of twelve white balls and Hotch bought some red and white striped ribbon and three packs of candy canes for the team tree.

Spencer called again before bed asking for confirmation on dimensions and if the base had to be edible or not and if it could be premade. Hotch called Rossi and Morgan, both who said as long as nothing was standing up from the base, the base could be pre-covered. Hotch called Spencer to tell him and heard a whoop of excitement at the news. Still he chose not to change his bet (which was with JJ placing first, much to Rossi's dismay…of course Will was voting for Rossi, as was Alex.)

Hotch and Jack got to Rossi's house at three, right after school let out. Hotch had the trees (even Jess's) and wanted them set in stands and ready to go before everyone else started to arrive. Jess was bringing her wreath, but had to pick it up. Spencer got there at three thirty.

"Rossi? Do you have a small room off the kitchen? Like a breakfast nook?" Spencer asked.

"I do. It even has a small table. Would you like to work there?" Rossi said.

"I would. Show me where I can set stuff." Rossi took Spencer through and told him to just go in and out the house as he needed. Then Hotch and Rossi watched as Spencer unloaded box after box after box. There were six or seven flat boxes and three huge packing boxes and then a wrapped flat piece. Jack helped him by carrying little boxes, which Spencer said held all sorts of crafting supplies. Jess pulled up as Spencer's car was finally looking nearly empty.

"Spencer! I have your wreaths and garland. Thank You for helping. What a great friend you have there. I paid exactly six dollars for my wreath. That is probably a twentieth of what it is worth!" Jess called. Spencer and Jack paused with unloading Spencer's car and helped Jess. Rossi and Hotch joined them and soon Jess was set up in the section of the kitchen nearest Spencer and the breakfast nook.

Spencer and Jess were chatting as Hotch and Rossi brought in the last box from Jess's car.

"I called and you were right, we do need to supply our own easels on which to display the wreaths and garland. Did you find some?" Jess said.

"I picked up some from a friend who works in the art department at the University. She said we can use them for a week. I only got five, so I hope we can make it work." Spencer said.

Jess, Spencer and Jack went and grabbed the last things from Spencer's car, not including said easels which they decided to bring in later if they needed them. Jack flitted from Jess's stuff, to where what Rossi had cooling off and their base was set, to the area on the dining room table where Morgan had set his stuff he'd baked at Rossi's earlier, to Spencer and what was hidden in the nook. Spencer showed him a picture and Jack whooped and cheered.

Morgan and Garcia showed up at a quarter to four, followed quickly by JJ's family and Alex. Everyone helped unloading vehicles and soon everyone was ready to start.

"Ok, Jack. Who do you want to work with?" Hotch asked Jack.

"Spencer and Henry!" Jack shouted.

"You sure kid?" Morgan asked. "Wouldn't you like to be on the winning team?"

Jack laughed and bounced. "Oh. I will be."

"Last call for betting revisions?" Rossi called. No one changed. Spencer smirked.

"Jess? Want in?" Rossi asked.

Jess shook her head. "No, but I do ask that I am able to assist Spencer if he ever needs an extra set of adult hands."

"I guess, but not often." Morgan said. "And only holding, no planning or fixing problems."

Jack laughed. Jess smiled and agreed.

"Likewise, my team will lend Jess a hand when she needs it." Spencer said. The two small boys cheered.

"All right then, on your marks, get set, go!" Hotch yelled and everyone took off to their spaces.

Jess maneuvered her tree to sit right in front of the entrance to the breakfast nook. Rossi and Morgan insisted on 'checking' everyone bases, to make sure no one had a head start and Spencer let them in that far.

Rossi came out and tapped Hotch on the shoulder.

"He has a pond on his base…done in sugar, blue hard candy. And snow mounds." Rossi said.

"But he has kids helping and it's Reid." Morgan said.

It was hard for Hotch to resist going in to see what was up in Spencer's nook. The boys were giggling and cheering and lots of input was going on.

Jess pulled them away for a few moments right at the start and had the boys and Spencer help her string lights, maypole style. Henry and Jack thought it a great bit of fun, giving each other high fives as they crossed by each other. The lights went on fast and easy.

About twenty minutes in, Spencer called Jess to help and Hotch was surprised she was back within ten minutes.

Hotch and Rossi were trying to get their walls to come together still. Morgan's team was also still trying to get walls up.

Jess was laughing.

JJ and Will were still stringing lights.

From Spencer's nook Hotch heard more cheering and the boys making train noises. Then he heard swooshing sounds and Spencer asking the boys to make sounds for other various things. They heard barking and mooing and neighing and meowing and quacking. Rossi and he had all four walls up, and were setting the roof.

Spencer called for Jess's help again. Jess came out looking a bit astonished.

She looked at him and Rossi. "You all forgot that that boy's a Genius, didn't you?"

"But, it's gingerbread." Rossi said. "And design."

Jess laughed again.

An hour and a half after they had all started, Spencer and the boys came out and said they were done.

"Now, you have to decorate it, Pretty Boy." Morgan called to him. They had just finished getting their roof to stay put. Luckily Alex and Garcia had been making other things to decorate with while Morgan built the house properly.

"No, we are done. It is complete. Everything is decorated and ready to go." Spencer said.

Rossi and Hotch were almost done. Their two story house was up, the windows trimmed and the roof together. They were fixing the chimney and getting their trees together and decorated. They had finished their fence and mailbox and walkway. They just had the gingerbread people to fix up still.

Morgan and the girls still had to place everything around the house and decorate the house.

"I don't believe you." Morgan said.

"Will you take me as an impartial judge?" Jess asked.

"Yes." Morgan said.

"They are done. Their buildings are finished, their decorations are finished. It is ready to go." Jess said.

"It will be best if it sets for about another hour, then we will be absolutely sure nothing will move." Spencer said. "And, it's all edible. It is also off limits. Jess will be guarding until we can come back, but now we need to go decorate our tree!"

The little boys cheered. JJ came in from her tree to see what the cheering was about.

"Reid and the boys are done. Tell me you finished already?" Morgan said.

"Sorry, can't. We still have the garland and topped to get set." JJ said.

Spencer and the boys gave each other high fives.

"Are all the ornaments set out by the tree?" Spencer asked.

Hotch nodded. "I'm not sure fully covered it will be."

Spencer smiled. "Jack told me what you guys got. Leave it to me. Come along boys, we have ornaments to make."

"Spencer, Henry's four! You can't have him making ornaments for a tree that will be bid on!" JJ said.

"Trust me." Spencer said.

Spencer tucked back into the breakfast nook and brought out three small boxes, one which he gave to Henry to carry and the other two which he had Jack carry and then grabbed a larger box. He brought that and the kids to the undecorated tree.

The first thing Spencer did was put all the red and white ornaments out so he could see what he was working with. Hotch noticed that he wasn't the only one to go with balls. There was a set of frosted red balls and frosted clear balls. There were his and Jacks red and white balls, which had a dull finish and someone had brought very shiny balls of red. There were strings of red beads and a bag full of small red and white bows. There were the candy canes and the ribbons. Finally there were small white lights.

Spencer smiled.

"Ok boys! Lights like we did for Aunt Jess's tree. Ready?" Spencer said. He wrapped the lights around the boys arms so they could just walk while Spencer and Jess guided the lights. Jess came to help with the lights and take a peek at what Spencer had planned.

She left chuckling and smiling.

The other three teams were trying to finish up.

With the lights up, Spencer set out what the boys needed to make decorations. He pulled out clear heavy duty cellophane and red cellophane. He pulled out Styrofoam balls and flat discs and red paint. He pulled out wired ribbons in red and white stripes, red and white, and beads and large needles and thread and silicone thimbles.

Spencer helped each of the boys to paint the Styrofoam discs red in a peppermint candy pattern. He'd outline and the boys would do the main part. (He also did about a dozen himself and wrapped several dozen small discs which were already painted.) While they dried he and the boys wrapped the balls in the red cellophane and then twisted the ends and Spencer tied them tight with thin ribbon. When the discs were dried enough, they wrapped those in the clear cellophane. Spencer and the boys quickly cut the wired ribbon into 20 inch lengths and rubbed glue on each of the ends so they wouldn't fray. Then Spencer taught the boys to make 'ribbon candy' from the wired ribbon. (He did eight as he showed the boys how to do them.) They were working on those while the rest of the team finished up their creations. Henry was very proud of each on he finished, carefully counting as Spencer helped him with the beads between the ribbon layers for the first several.

JJ and Will were the first to join them, with Jess following right after them. They watched the boys do the crafts as Spencer alternated from hanging what they had finished and the balls and helping Henry and Jack. Spencer only helped when the boys needed it though, letting them work as much as they could on their own. Jack was having a great time and finding the beading pretty easy but even Henry was doing pretty good on his own, getting the needle through the bead just fine most of the time. JJ was a bit astonished.

Spencer pulled out a garland of peppermint starlight mints, threaded through each end of their wrapped on string. Garcia and Alex joined them as Spencer got ready to hang it. They helped him drape that around the tree and then Spencer set them and Rossi and Hotch to placing the rest of the balls. Spencer placed the first dozen or so small bows around the tree and explained to Garcia and Alex what he wanted and then set them to placing the rest of the ribbons. Hotch and Rossi were put in charge of draping the beads along the tree like a garland, making sure they 'framed' the mint garland. Morgan was still fussing with the fence for their Gingerbread house. Spencer took the ribbon that Hotch had brought and fashioned several huge multi-lopped bows. He took the three biggest and put them together to form the tree topper. The other two he set aside.

Spencer pulled out more ribbon and tiny red and white balls and quickly got the two medium sized wreaths and the garland Jess had brought for him started. He swiped about ten of the small discs and seven of the larger ones, and about a dozen total Styrofoam balls in different sizes. By the time he was ready to add the ornaments to the wreaths and garland, Jack was finishing the ribbon lengths in front of him and JJ picked up Jack's needle to see if it was as easy as they were making it look (using some of the ribbon in front of Henry.)

"Give all but four of those to your dad, Jack, and have him hang them on the tree." Spencer told him. Morgan came over to join them as Hotch hung the ribbon ornaments. Spencer quickly fixed up another four and hung those on his wreaths and garland as well.

"JJ, hand me four of Henry's and then these will be done." Spencer told her.

JJ handed Spencer four of henry's ribbon ornaments and he finished the wreaths and garland. He took the rest of the ornaments Henry had finished and handed them to Morgan to hang on the tree and then sat down to help Henry finish. He and JJ put the last ribbon ornament on the tree.

Hotch looked at the tree and thought they all should be lucky it wasn't in the running to make the most money. Again, later, he considered he ought to have been worried because well, Spencer and kids pretty much designed the tree, even if they all had a hand in decorating it.

Rossi called the venue where the auction was being held and asked when the items could be delivered. They decided to take advantage of them setting up during that evening and take their items over right then. Rossi called his contact who brought a truck and strong men to transport the decorated items upright and safely. Spencer and the boys decided they would take their gingerbread creation on their own, with parental permission. Spencer and the boys cleaned up from the Peppermint candy tree and loaded Spencer's car, and then Spencer tucked the gingerbread creation, the wreaths and garland, the easels, and the boys in booster seats Spencer traveled with so he could take the boys places into his car and they told the others they would meet them there and to be careful with their tree.

When the rest of the team arrived at the venue, Spencer and the boys were helping others enter in their creations. Henry asked what letter of the alphabet their organization started with, Jack asked them for their names or their teams name and Spencer found the cards and then did the writing. Then Jack would tell them the number and hand them their filled out card. Spencer would direct them to the section of the building and right table, or to the nearest Boy Scout, if one was available.

"Jess, do you want to enter your tree and wreath together or enter the tree and wreath separately? They said you could enter them as a set, if you would like. I chose to enter our wreaths and garland as a set but the tree will be separate." Spencer said as they came in.

"I'll do them separate." Jess said. Spencer wrote out a card for her and handed her it. It had a large twenty on it.

"How did you end up doing this?" Hotch asked.

"We work better at this then setting up tables." Jack said.

"Yeah, we tant wift tabas dood enuf." Henry added. "We's yittle"

"This freed up the gentlemen who were doing this to set more tables up and help place trees. By the way, your gingerbread houses go to numbers 128 and 115. Our trees go to spot twenty five and thirty, with the peppermint tree in thirty. Jess, your tree is twenty seven. The extra easel is by my wreaths at spot fourteen." Spencer handed out the cards for each item.

"There are over a hundred gingerbread items here so far?" Morgan asked.

Spencer nodded. "They expect most stuff to come in tonight, since it has to be in before eight in the morning tomorrow. Over eight hundred items have been committed to; it will be interesting if they get that many. However, loads of extra items are also coming in. I've seen the other BAU sections work. Not to shabby, but I think all of ours tops them."

"I guess we'd better get to it then." Hotch said. "You boys want to come help us or stay with Spencer?"

"Stay with Spencer, Dad. We're volunteering and that is something a good citizen does." Jack said.

Hotch chuckled. He watch as boy scouts led people to where their items needed to be set and opened doors and wondered if it had been the older boys or Spencer who told Jack about good citizenship and volunteering.

The men who'd been setting up were back to their original post by the time the team was done getting their items displayed where they needed to be. It was getting late and no one had eaten yet, so they didn't spend much time looking around. The auction started the next night and would be over Monday night, giving the whole weekend for people to come and look at the items and place bids. Monday night they all planned to attend the gala event that culminated in the announcement of the bids and winners. Like Rossi had pointed out, it was only ten dollars a plate and they even had five dollar kid's plates and it all went to a good cause. Also, that way they would know then who won their big bets.

Hotch called Spencer and asked if he'd like to accompany him, Jess and Jack to see the whole lot of items and place bids Sunday afternoon and Spencer took him up on his offer. It was crowded and Hotch could see a good number of people over at the bidding table, putting their bids out on items. A local artisan group had offered to judge items and was giving gift certificates and ribbons for the best in certain categories. Jack let out a whoop and cheer when they came by the peppermint Christmas tree. It had a large ribbon and was best in dual color and best in 'treat theme'. JJ and Will's tree, in Mardi Gras theme, won second in non-traditional theme and Jess won second in non-traditional color scheme (for her red and black tree).

The area that housed the gingerbread creations was huge and full. Table after table of delightful creations entranced people who came to look. There was a full table just filled with sugar art pieces; molded and sculpted chocolate and blown and spun sugar that looked like glass. Some gingerbread houses had moving parts and some had lights in their windows. There were carousels which rotated and played tunes. There were four tables dedicated to items brought in by local schools, small houses and trains and other scenes. In the section titled traditional gingerbread, Hotch spotted his and Rossi's creation and Morgan's creation. He didn't spot Spencer's; of course he also didn't know which one was Spencer's. He didn't think Jack spotted their creation either, though, because he kept pulling on Spencer's sleeve and whispering at him.

Jess had been looking around as well and her face broke into a huge grin.

"Don't worry boys." Jess said. Whatever she meant was enough for both to settle down, although Jack was strutting about like a little peacock. No one would give him a hint about which was theirs though. They passed a gingerbread hotel with a pond and some cute ducks which had placed second in the non-house traditional gingerbread section. At the front of the room was a huge table which now housed the 'best of the best', as it were. There was a Victorian manor which had an open back and the rooms were decorated. There was a Santa's workshop, with tons of little gingerbread boxes decorated and a sleigh with Santa sitting and reindeer to pull it. The reindeer rose and lowered and a little elf looked like it was lifting a package. There was a mansion with smoke that poured out the chimney and twinkling lights and gingerbread men that turned and looked like they were dancing in the ballroom. There was a candy creation Christmas tree with spun sugar and blown sugar ornaments. Then there was a train depot, two stories tall in the center and one story on each side, with tracks made of licorice and a train, a lean to behind it with stabled gingerbread horses. There was a small dog house to the side of the depot and a candy pond with gingerbread men skating. The roof was made of gum sticks tiles and the columns holding the lower part of the roof over the walkway in front of the track was made of candy canes; there were marshmallow snowmen by the pond. There were cotton candy snow banks and crisp rice treat trees. Hotch briefly thought something about it seemed familiar.

Spencer and Hotch and Jessica all dragged Jack over to the bidding table and placed bids. Hotch placed a bid on the tree donated by Jess's boss and Spencer placed a bid on a tree that had little wooden ornaments that said "Dear Santa, I can explain…" and then other ornaments that said things like "I didn't mean to flood the bathroom" and "I didn't know the hair dye would stain the sink". Jack simply bounced all about.

Hotch spent the rest of the evening trying to get Jack to tell him which he'd help make but Jack wouldn't.

"You'll see tomorrow, Dad," was all Hotch got.

Everyone was there at the dinner and ball and to hear if they'd won anything they bid on. Most the wreaths and garlands went for between fifty and seventy five dollars. Rossi ended up the only one to go home with something he bid on, in fact. Apparently he'd been determined to get the old fashioned green velvet robed Father Christmas wreath and placed a very high bid. Spencer's wreaths and garland did fairly well, getting a sixty five dollar bid. The trees had a greater range. JJ's tree's high bid was one seventy and Hotch wrote it down. It was the first of the items in their bet spoken of. Hotch was certain she'd won. The peppermint tree went for two hundred and fifty and Spencer and Jack went up to accept the ribbons and get the gift certificates. The whole table breathed a sigh of relief that that tree wasn't one of the things that they'd bet on. The only trees that went for more were the huge trees, which were in a class of their own, although several other trees tied at that price range.

The gingerbread creations were next and if Hotch had thought the trees showed a large range the gingerbread was even larger. Several pieces went for as low as twenty dollars. Morgan's group's house was bought for one hundred and sixty and Rossi's and Aaron's house was also bought for one hundred and sixty. JJ's tree was winning by ten bucks! Still houses in the one sixty range were called up. Then they moved up to one hundred and sixty five; Spencer and the boy's creation had not been called.

"We missed hearing it," Morgan said. "That's all there is to it."

Jack and Spencer and Jess just looked at each other and smiled. Henry moved from his mom's lap to Spencer's and Spencer whispered in his ear.

"Weally?" Henry asked.

Jack nodded and Henry smiled.

The gingerbread going for one seventy started to be called. Everyone listened closely. The hotel was brought forward and Hotch was certain he was about to hear Spencer's name. It wasn't theirs. The Hotel had come from one of the hospitals. Soon the going offers were into the one nineties and two hundreds. At two fifty Hotch felt certain they'd hear Spencer's name called. There were about six left and then the top creations, the ones that had been moved to the huge front table. Oh…

The last six gingerbread creations other than those that won top prizes were called and Hotch knew why that train depot had seemed a bit familiar…the train sounds and dog sounds and horse sounds and swooshing from the breakfast nook while the boys were building.

Hotch held his breath. He knew. He did not know how the others were going to take it.

"I bet they got put into the youth category." Garcia said. "Two of the crew were under ten. That makes sense."

"Or they broke it somewhere and therefore couldn't put it up." Alex said.

"There is that possibility." Will said.

JJ looked over at Henry and Hotch saw the moment she figured it out.

"I still say we missed hearing it." Morgan said. "I know I wasn't really paying attention at the twenty to fifty dollar range."

Rossi looked at Hotch and Hotch shook his head.

"Now to announce our grand winners. In extreme gingerbread house, the winner is…Cutler's Bakery, with 'An Old South Christmas'. The dancers in the lit ballroom won the judges hearts. The highest bid on that was a solid four hundred. This was our highest bid on Gingerbread creations as well. Tying with that bid was the extreme non-house gingerbread creation of "Getting ready to lift off'. This was brought to you by the university's culinary arts program. The sugar art piece came in at three hundred and ninety and it was also brought to us by the culinary arts program."

The announcer went on to explain why each piece was awarded its prize, but Hotch wasn't listening. He was trying to recall what he'd seen of the piece. How could his child have helped with it? There was nothing when looking at it that seemed to suggest it had been put together by children. He looked at the table and realized how much was crafted and not iced details. Hotch watched as the creators of the first three items walked to get their prizes. The announcer turned to the other side and pointed to the last two.

"Our last two works of art tonight each tied with three hundred and ninety-five dollar bids. The Victorian mansion from Porters Extreme Bakery is our first and finally from the BAU division of the FBI, Spencer Reid, Jack Hotchner and Henry LaMontagne with "A Stop to Bring Christmas".

Jess and Hotch and JJ started cheering as Spencer picked up Henry and he and Jack walked to claim their prizes. As the introduced themselves, even more people in the crowd cheered.

Morgan sat at the table just repeating "No way. No freaking way."

"What set both these pieces apart in the eyes of the judges was their attention to detail," The announcer spoke. "Each creation used several techniques to decorate, not just a single one. There were sculpted pieces and iced pieces. The Train piece got a special note for use of everyday items and candies in obvious but not so obvious ways. The head judge thought the use of Runts oranges in the crates of oranges being unloaded from the train was extremely brilliant. She also appreciated the attention to historical accuracy. The judges would like to talk with the creators about techniques tonight if they could."

Hotch listened as he watched Spencer and Henry and Jack shake hands with all those hosting and announcing and officiating the event.

"Hell and damnation." Rossi exclaimed. "That boy is not going to let this one rest."

JJ laughed. "Actually, you'll probably only hear about it at Christmas time…and probably not from Spence. He doesn't tend to rub our noses in things like this. He should, and then maybe we'd be more inclined to remember what we are dealing with."

"How did boy wonder pull it off?" Garcia said.

"I want to actually see this thing!" Rossi said.

Spencer and the boys made their way back to their seats, stopping and talking with people as they did so. At one point Hotch nearly had a panic attack as his son and Henry accepted hugs from all the wives from those with top positions within the FBI. Another table who offered hugs all around was occupied by senators, Hotch was certain.

"The gingerbread will be on display until after the dancing tonight. We will be meeting to talk with the judges in about a half hour, if that is all right. I told them that it would be nice if we met first so if Henry needs to leave early he'll still be able to go to the meeting." Spencer told them as he finally sat down.

"That sounds great," JJ said.

Hotch nodded his approval.

"Jess, how did your items do?" Spencer asked.

"The same person bought the tree and the wreath. The tree went for one sixty and the wreath for sixty." Jess said.

"The other BAU tree went for one fifty. Strauss should be pleased. I know the director is. I only know what the house that Anderson and two of his pals built went for though. It was one of the one forty houses."

"Kevin and his bunch worked on that set that made a park. It went for one fifty." Garcia piped up.

"The one with the gazebo and rock path and benches?" Spencer asked.

"That's it." Garcia said.

"Oh, I liked that one…I loved the use of the candy rocks. I wish I'd thought of those." Spencer said.

People were finishing up eating and music was starting in the ballroom. People were standing up and starting to mill about. Spencer and the boys led the rest of the team up to look closer at the train depot.

"You finished before the rest of us," Rossi said. "How?"

Spencer smiled. "Does anyone at all recall what my PhDs are in?"

"And we had tools." Jack said.

"And dood tuppot." Henry said.

"Good what?" Garcia asked.

"Support." Spencer said. "And the base was pre-prepared for the structures, well most of them."

"There was only the pond on the base and mounds molded." Hotch said.

"You didn't see the grooves in the base? It was notched just right for the wall sections to slide in."

"Huh?" Morgan asked.

"The base is covered in a fondant that I could crave and mold. Grooves where I wanted the building to go were carved the width and length so the station fit exactly. It allowed me to set the wall easier. The imprints for the train tracks were set. The pond was allowed to be done early. I left the cotton candy off, of course, since it did 'stick up'."

"That's all?" Morgan asked.

"Nope."

Jack giggled. "Before we put any walls up, we cut out the windows, and we made our corner supports so things would be perfectly square."

"Corner supports?" Alex asked.

"You do realize that things stand better with more adhisve surfaces holding them?" Reid asked.

Everyone nodded.

"We extended the adhesive surfaces and made it so things were squared up easily." Reid said.

"We used a jig and square cookies and thick pretzels cut at exactly two inches and made corner squares." Jack said.

"They helped support the middle floor, which juts out to fix the bottom of the roof of the porch, and 'attic' floor, which helps with the roof." Reid said. "Also we used a very strong and fast drying icing."

"And yots of tokkie tutters, trap ones!" Henry said.

Spencer smiled.

"And the windows are fruit roll-ups and we got to roll the pumpkins and paint them orange and we got to roll the apples." Jack said.

"And Unca Pense made da doggie at Unca Days," Henry said.

"Because the dog house was not planned until Henry and Jack wanted one." Spencer said. "We used the gingerbread cut from the windows to make it."

"And the coal in the train car?" Rossi asked.

"Black licorice chopped in one of the dicers that have the handle you press down on. It's the same that makes the tracks, but the tracks were spritzed with water and rolled in powdered sugar to make them look more grey than black."

"How did you get the gingerbread red for the train?" Garcia asked.

"Tinted egg white wash as it baked." Reid answered.

"So Jess," Hotch asked. "What were you needed to hold?"

"The roofs for the single level sides and then the roof for the two layer section. That was the first time. The second time I helped put the train on the tracks." Jess said.

"How did the boys not break the house when doing the gum on the roof?" Will asked.

"We put the gum on the roofs before we put the roofs on the house. First we made the squares in the jig, then we did the gum on the roofs, and then we cut out the windows and doors and put the fruit roll-up on the inside with the icing glue. Then we checked the squares and made sure they were all tights and set enough to use." Jack said.

"While things were setting we worked on other things," Spencer said.

"I still can't believe it," Rossi said.

Hotch laughed.

The judges pulled Spencer and the boys away and chatted with them and they explained their techniques again. JJ and Hotch stepped close enough to listen and be there for their sons and yet still let the boys and Spencer beam in the spotlight. They found out the little packages in the rice paper mail bag were made from gumdrops which had been cut into small squares. The one judge even commented on the yellow tinted cotton candy by the dog house and the brownish cotton candy by the lean-to.

The boys and Spencer explained the tools and such used to make the train depot and what each person did and Spencer was praised up and down for how much he let the young boys do and how he involved them. Soon the judges moved on to the next entrants and the boys and Spencer moved back to the group. They all moved back to the table and Spencer and the boys fielded compliments and questions for the next hour. Hotch could tell Spencer was waiting for something, though. He kept looking at his watch. Henry was starting to yawn. However, Jack lost patience first. He leaned onto the table and looked at Morgan, who had been put in charge of the pot.

"All right," Jack said. "Pay up." He wiggled the fingers on his outstretched hand.

"But…" Morgan said.

"Nope." Spencer said. "We won fair and square. Hand it over. Don't forget the extra 15 either."

All the adults pulled their fifteen from their wallets and handed it to Spencer, and Morgan pulled out everything from both pots, first done and highest bid. Spencer broke the eighty into three sets of twenty and twenty left over, and the four hundred into three sets of hundred with a hundred left over. Then he gave each of them thirty five, from all the sets of fifteen.

"Do you want to split that hundred up more or leave it for our special shopping?" Spencer asked the boys.

"yeave it for the pecial twip." Henry said.

"Great, that gives us a hundred and twenty!" Jack said.

Spencer looked at JJ and Hotch. "Might I steal away your children for a special shopping trip one night this week?"

"How about tomorrow, if we don't have a case?" Hotch said. JJ nodded.

"Do you boys want your money with you or should I go put it in your accounts?" Spencer asked.

Jack tilted his head. "How much is there all together?"

Spencer smiled. "Let's count." He helped Jack count out his hundred and his twenty and his thirty five. "How much?"

"One hundred and fifty five in cash." Jack said. "I could keep the fifty five and do Christmas shopping with it and save the hundred."

"Excellent choice." Spencer said.

"Henry has an account?" JJ asked.

Jack laughed. "Of course he does. Spencer puts ten dollars in it every month and extras on birthdays and Christmas."

JJ looked at Hotch. "Did you know about this?" Hotch started to shake his head but then recalled something Spencer said after Haley died and realized he had known, just hadn't really known. Garcia and Jess laughed, though and Hotch realized they knew.

"Anyway," Spencer said. "Tomorrow as soon as I get off work, we'll go. All right?"

Both boys nodded.

"Tan I teep some money out, too?" Henry asked.

"How about we do like we did for Jack? That sound good?" Spencer asked. Henry nodded.

JJ and Will packed up Henry and headed out, and Jess and Hotch packed up Jack and did the same. Spencer headed out at the same time as they did. After Jack and Jess and Spencer left the table, but before Hocth had moved off too far he heard Morgan speak very quietly to Garcia, "What does a degree in mathematics have to do with gingerbread?"

Garcia snorted. "Probably the whole precision in measurements."

"I'm actually betting those degrees in engineering and chemistry had more play in Spencer's win." Blake said.

Rossi laughed. "I bet you are right. I remember Spencer one told me he and some classmates designed a roller coaster for fun once…one good enough that the plans were bought and used in a major amusement park. I always thought he was joking."

Hotch watched Spencer as he left. Spencer graciously spoke to those who talked to him about the tree and the gingerbread train and wondered again how he forgot.

They managed another day without a case and Spencer and Garcia left at four. Spencer was completely done though, and so Hotch couldn't complain at all, not to mention Strauss was proud as a peacock and would probably have given Spencer the moon if he'd asked. Hotch got a note inviting him to meet them at the mall at six for dinner and shopping and decided to join them. He didn't want to miss it. He wondered what huge things Jack and Henry would come home with.

The whole team had been invited to dinner and Hotch realized the boys were using some of their gift certificates to pay for it. JJ was nearly in tears when Henry presented his gift certificate to the waitress for payment and told the waitress he was taking his momma and dada out to dinner. Thankfully the waitress thought it was just as cute and pulled over the cashier to come see the sweetest boys in the world. Hotch was rather moved as well, but he didn't tear up. Reid covered what the gift certificate didn't. Dinner was fun and the adults spent the time trying to get the kids to tell them what they bought, only to be met with giggles.

"Remember, you all have to get us extra presents for the Christmas party." Jack said, as people were finishing up.

Rossi laughed. "I decided last night I like this better. I still have to buy three extra presents and I get to buy two easy to buy extra presents and…Reid's."

"Have you spent all your hundred and twenty that you didn't split yet?" Morgan asked.

"Nope," Jack said. "We are doing that after dinner."

Spencer's phone rang and he answered. The voice on the other end was one Hotch had heard before, but he couldn't recall where.

"Ok boys, we can go shopping now." Spencer said when he got off the phone.

"Where are you headed?" Hotch asked.

"The toy store, of course." Jack said.

Hotch and JJ groaned. Hotch noticed that no one went home, instead followed to see what Hotch and JJ were going to be doomed to.

Spencer and the boys led the way, but first they stopped at the tree in the center of the store with the paper angels on it.

"I want a baby," Jack said. "A girl one."

Spencer looked and found a tag for a one year old girl which said 'would like books or toys' and handed it to Jack.

"Ok Henry," Spencer said. "What kind of person would you like to get a present for?"

Henry scrunched up his face. "Tomeone who'd yike tars."

Spencer found a tag for a little boy Henry's age that liked cars and needed a hat and mittens.

"We'll need to get some mitten and a hat, too." Spencer said.

Spencer pulled off a tag himself, and they marched off towards the toy store, stopping first at a department store and finding hats and mittens on sale. Jack picked up a hat and mittens for his angel as well.

The boys made no complaint and were instead super excited.

"Unca Pense, we tet dem pwesents now?" Henry asked.

Spencer nodded.

"She needs a dolly, not a loud one but one that is good to hug." Jack said.

"Tars." Said Henry.

Spencer bought his angel a card game which had a solitaire option as well and since the Legos were one sale - four small Lego sets. Jack found a good doll and a doll bottle and bib set. Henry found two sets of cars. Spencer paid for those items.

"We have a little over fifty left. Santa's friend said that the helpers for the fireman's inner city Christmas party will take apart some sets if the items are bigger…like sets of Barbies or bigger trucks. Or we could get several smaller things." Spencer said.

"Can you tell us which would be better when we see things?" Jack asked.

Spencer nodded. He handed Hotch the angel bags. "Watch these."

They added four 10 count matchbox car sets and ten stuffed animals that were on sale. They found some baby dolls that were just plain but soft and could be cuddled nice (five) and two sets of large dinosaurs that Spencer said would be great. Finally they added two sets of four larger heavy duty dump trucks and construction vehicle sets.

Jack nearly had a conniption when they went to pay because it was seventy four bucks, but Spencer told him not to fret because he was making up the difference. He handed those bags to Morgan, who was standing watching and looking a bit stunned. Then Spencer took out his twenty.

"Ok," Spencer said. "I want to spend my early done twenty on my favorite boys. Let's go pick out something."

JJ started bawling when Henry said "But, Unca Pence. I dots yots of doys, but da babies on da dwee don." Hotch had to admit his eyes weren't completely dry.

Spencer's twenty went to another set of cars and another baby doll and bib and bottle. Hotch noticed he added on the side the dinosaurs Jack kept looking at and the cars Henry liked best. Garcia and Alex popped back with more mittens and hats and some t-shirts and sweaters. Hotch hadn't even noticed she and Alex had gone.

"Spencer, what else did your friend need?" Rossi asked.

"Coloring books and crayons, books, card games. They have the children's party and then they do a teen party."

"You and I have a trip to the book store when you've turned in those angel gifts." Rossi said.

"Meanwhile, the girls and I will meet you there but we have some teen girls to find treats for!" Garcia squealed tossing Reid the bag she had holding the clothing items. "Find some angel tree homes for those."

She tore off, dragging the women with her. The men walked back to the angel tree and had the lady running the table help them find angels to match items they had. Nine more angel tags were added to the three they had. Then they took them all to the wrapping booth and had each angel's gift wrapped and the angel tag taped to it. They took all the angel gifts to the lady at the table, who was so happy to get them.

The men then went to the book store and picked out books from the bargain area and coloring books. They got a range of books from little kids to ones teens would like. Hotch and Rossi split the price between them. Morgan told them he'd meet them back at the cars, he wanted to head back to the toy store.

Reid called his friend and was told they could bring the items to the fire department that evening if they had them ready. When the girls and Morgan joined them they all went to the firehouse Reid gave them directions to. Garcia rode with Hotch, and spent the time chattering to Hotch about the treasures she and the girls had found. Apparently, Garcia told the girl at one of the make-up counters what she was looking for, and why, and the girl called her boos who brought out a whole box of stocking stuffer sized perfume and cologne bottles that had been left over from a promotional and a bag of mixed girls and guys manicure sets, and offered up great deals on fingernail polish sets and other make-up sets. They also offered them a good discount of guys care items, like small cans of shaving gel and body washes. Alex paid at that store, while JJ and Garcia paid at store where they picked up hair thingies and earrings and bracelets and little things like that. She was practically vibrating in her seat the whole drive.

The fire chief came out and welcomed them when the team pulled up. Hotch recognized the man. He'd been one of those who helped with a serial arsonist case a few years back.

"Agents, it is a pleasure to see you all this time around."

Spencer smiled. "Rufus, you remember Agents Hotchner, Morgan and Rossi. And of course you remember JJ. The man holding the little blond boy is her husband Will, and the boy is Henry. The lad by my side if Jack, Agent Hotchner's son. Agent Blake joined us when Agent Prentiss left."

Hotch shook the chief's hand.

"I heard the BAU had an excellent showing at the charity auction."

"You mean Spencer and the boys." Morgan said.

"And we decided, while we were putting out gingerbread creation together that if we won we'd like to spread the wealth around, so to speak." Spencer said.

Henry and Jack brought over the bags from the toy store.

"And we couldn't let the tots show us up, so we did some shopping as well." Rossi said.

Rossi and the girls handed over the bags that held the other items they bought.

"I hope everything finds a good home." Spencer said.

The fire chief beamed and called others to come get the bags.

"You know it will. This is such a good start. Any toys and treats for Santa that we don't have to buy means we can put the money donations we get towards other items that are needed." One of the other firemen said. "Oh and someone thought of not only teen girls but some teen guy gifts! You all are wonderful."

"I'll call you in the morning of our party. You'll read for us if you're in town?" He asked Spencer.

"Of course. I love doing so."

"Merry Christmas, everyone. You have no idea how much this helps."

The team said their goodbyes at the fire station and everyone headed home. Hotch looked at Jack in the back seat.

"What made you and Henry decide to do this? Spencer?" Hotch asked as they drove home.

"Not really, but sorta." Jack said. Hotch waited. Jack usually told more if one waited.

"We asked Spencer if he learned to make gingerbread houses when he was little like us. He said no, he learned in collage. That most the time when he was little they didn't really have much Christmas. His momma was ill and forgot a lot about the holidays, even when he was little and his daddy often took off and sometimes wasn't around. Even when he was around, the tree and lights and everything bugged his daddy and momma. He said sometimes he'd wake to find gifts on Christmas but sometimes there wouldn't be anything. We were sad for him. We told him we wished we could have been there to give him gifts. Then he told about one time when a box ended up on their doorstep and had gifts in it and he'd been so happy because it had been a bad time and that had made it better and he said that now he gives gifts that go in a box for kids like he was. We wanted to do so too."

Hotch thought about Spencer and growing up and what he knew. Spencer probably wouldn't have had gifts from friends; his family was unstable at best. It hadn't been that they were poor even, and thus ended up on some one's list year after year.

"Did you ever hear the date for that Christmas Party at the firehouse?" Hotch asked after a while.

Jack shrugged. "No, but I think it was after the middle of the month. Spencer says we still have gift certificates to use. One is to a beauty solon; we need to find out what type stuff Aunt Jess likes." Jack said with a yawn.

"Hey, what did you shop for before we arrived? With Garcia and Spencer?" Hotch asked.

Jack giggled between yawns. "We used our money we kept out and bought special gifts for our parents. Well, I got one for you and Aunt Jess, because she tries raise me right just like mom would have and loves me just like mom would have. Spencer said because she does so it would be good to get her a gift like Henry got his mom. Spencer helped me save out some money to buy flowers for mom's grave though, so we can get her some for Christmas. It's in my pocket, don't wash it."

Hotch smiled again. He hoped he had taught his boy it was better to give, and he knew JJ hoped the same. Still he couldn't' shake the feeling that Spencer, simply because of who he was, had driven home that point in the simplest of ways… by example, and his boy would be forever better because of it.

Yes, sometimes the adults forgot…but the boys knew.


End file.
